LIVEKINDLY Collective (LKC), a global group of plant-based food brands, has announced Bart Wolfert as its new Global Head of Operations. In his role, Wolfert will oversee operations across LKC’s three manufacturing facilities located in Oss, the Netherlands; Stora Levene, Sweden; and Pinetown, South Africa, which support the company’s brands and B2B clients.
“Bart joins at a perfect time to lead the business to even better serve our B2B customers worldwide”
Wolfert brings decades of operational expertise, including experience in managing multisite and large-scale plant operations across Europe and Africa. Most recently, he served as site lead for one of Danone Nutricia’s largest and most complex facilities in the Netherlands. Prior to that, he managed factory operations for Danone in West Africa while based in Ghana, and he has also held operational roles at FrieslandCampina.
The appointment places Wolfert on the company’s leadership team under CEO David Suárez, who stated on LinkedIn, “We are pleased to welcome Bart, a seasoned operations leader, to our global Collective. With the private label offering growing in volume across markets and our in-house capabilities now fully developed, Bart joins at a perfect time to lead the business to even better serve our B2B customers worldwide into its next phase of global growth.”
Focus on efficiency and expansion
In addition to managing operational efficiency across LKC’s facilities, Wolfert will play a key role in supporting the Collective’s expanding global footprint. Currently, the company’s plant-based products are distributed in over 40 markets, reaching both retail and foodservice channels.
Wolfert expressed enthusiasm about his new position, stating, “I am genuinely excited to join LIVEKINDLY Collective and contribute to its mission of promoting plant-based food brands. Being part of LKC aligns perfectly with my passion for sustainability and innovation in the food industry. I am eager to make a positive impact by supporting the growth of this global collective and delivering operational efficiency improvements. Together, we can inspire more people to embrace a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle.”
The new hire follows other recent leadership additions at LIVEKINDLY Collective. In November, David Gwilliam joined as Chief Financial Officer, and Tim Dillon assumed the role of General Manager of International Sales.
